A breakup letter (apologies in advance for taking this too far)

Dear CTA,
I'm not sure we can be together anymore. After the way you've been treating me the last few days, I have to seriously reconsider my options.

Your customers have been standing on my feet, as though I'm invisible, and yet, you do nothing.

You send me letters scolding me for my behavior. It's not like I'm cheating on you, CTA, you didn't recognize my card. It's not nice of you to fly off the handle like that.

You are becoming more and more unreliable, your hygiene is questionable, and don't get me started on your dreams to be a roller coaster. Sometimes I'm afraid I'll lose my breakfast before I get to Damen.

All of that I thought I could live with. "I'll give you another chance, these cutbacks are tough on everyone. It will just take getting used to," I said. We've had four years together, CTA. Four years of my life where the majority of my travel has been with you. I can't help but think you've forgotten all we've been through. I really was hoping for the best, CTA. I had faith in you, faith in my tax dollars, and faith in the city of Chicago that truly, you would be a better CTA in time. I even filled out my census forms for you.

CTA, I was prepared to give you chance after chance. This evening though, when I really needed you, you weren't there.

You left me out in the cold for nearly an hour. It was during rush hour, when service is not supposed to be noticeably less frequent. You drove past me twice. Surely there was room for ONE more person, just one more, but no, you chose to ignore me. What's worse is there was no alternative other than to wait on you. My only other choice would have been to walk for fifteen minutes, then go back down to the loop, only to come back another 4 miles west and walk another fifteen minutes until I finally got home. Surely you didn't want me to do that...did you? You ignored me!

I take that back. You didn't ignore me. I did hear the horn on the bus beep twice as it sped past me. Thanks for the shout out, CTA. That's not salt in the wound at all.

I don't think I've ever cried over waiting for a bus, and I like to think I'm not one of "those" girls who cries every time something doesn't go their way...but you know what CTA? Congratulations. You made me cry tonight, and that is where I draw the line.You don't even care. The tears were wasted...and frozen in this stupid weather.

CTA, I wish I could make a clean break. I wish I didn't have to rely on you. CTA, I wish you were better for me. I've come to trust you, to rely on you, to enjoy time spent with you. The fact is CTA, I can't go through with this break up letter. I need you.

I'd like to think you need me, too...so I'll go on believing that for now.

Yours truly (and reluctantly),
Commuterology